With 91% of our research outputs ranked as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and in the top 10 departments in the UK for research environment, Warwick's English and Comparative Literary Studies Department hosts an innovative MA by Research course. We offer with a wide range of research areas to choose from. Harness your intellectual ambitions, and study amongst a globally renowned network of experts on the MA by Research in English and Comparative Literary Studies.
The MA by Research course is a pure research course based in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies. You'll complete a 40,000 word research thesis, closely supervised by an academic.
This programme is especially suited to applicants who want to develop their independent research skills and explore a particular writer, topic, theory, or critical debate. It is normally for people who have taken time out after their undergraduate studies or hold a taught MA in a related field. Our warm and vibrant research community is one of the largest in the UK, with around 65 postgraduates every year. We offer a full calendar of seminars, symposiums and conferences, with a busy diary of speakers from around the world. We also offer career development support during your time here.
You will study alongside ambitious, international scholars and world-leading researchers. Our researchers and writers work at the intellectual cutting edge of their discipline. We want you to harness your intellectual ambitions and interests, and bring your own distinct personal experiences and circumstances to bear on your work.
By the end of the course, you'll be well-positioned for further study or employment with the transferable skills you will develop.
Teaching and learning
As a research student, your closest contact will be with your supervisor, or co-supervisors, who will meet with you regularly to discuss your work. The supervisory relationship is at the heart of your research. Your supervisor(s) are experts in their field, who will guide you throughout your degree and will agree upon a programme of reading, research and writing with you.
You will also be able to seek advice from our Director of Graduate Studies, who oversees our research students; and participate in sessions organised by our PG Professionalisation Officer, who organises seminars on employment in both the academic and non-academic sectors. With your peers, you will have the chance to participate in seminars, conferences, reading groups, and the annual student-organised postgraduate symposium. You will be encouraged to apply for internal funding to support research trips and participation in academic events outside of the University.
Entry requirements
60% (or equivalent) in an undergraduate degree in English literature or a related degree. Applicants may be required to provide a writing sample to demonstrate suitability for the course.
IELTS overall score of 7.5, minimum component scores of two at 6.5/7.0 and the rest at 7.5 or above
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for two academic references for research courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
Applicants are required to submit a writing sample, normally an essay from their undergraduate studies. Applicants are encouraged to consult their potential supervisor and/or the Director of Graduate Studies before applying.
Research themes
Our research is interdisciplinary and comparative. We have particular strengths in American studies, eighteenth and nineteenth-century studies, environmental humanities and ecocriticism, gender studies, the literary and cultural history of the medieval and early modern period, performance studies, poetics, postcolonial studies, and world literature.
Our major research groups include the Critical Theory Network, Feminist Dissent, the Centre for Ecopoetics, Poetry at Warwick, and the Warwick Research Collective (WReC).
We also work closely with the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance; the Centre for Research into Philosophy, Literature, and the Arts; the Early Modern and Eighteenth-Century Centre; the Yesu Persaud Centre for Caribbean Studies; the Critical South Asia Group; and the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender.
There are several routes to finding a PhD supervisor at University of Warwick. Searching for a supervisor and submitting a research proposal will look different depending on the opportunity you are applying for. Below you’ll find guidance from the department about what is required for this course.
For more general advice, including top tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor, and what to include in your research proposal visit the university’s guidance webpages.
Students should compose a statement of up to 500 words about their proposed area of study. This should situate a topic within a particular chronological, conceptual or thematic area, and should make specific reference to bodies of theoretical knowledge, texts, or authors which will be studied.
You should also locate the topic within current critical work in this area, perhaps citing a few recent secondary works which have interested, inspired or provoked you. Given the space constraints, we do not require a bibliography or full citations. This is not the place for a personal statement about your past career or future aspirations.
We recognise, of course, that all projects change and evolve during the process of study, and that it is difficult to define a project in advance of carrying it out. However, it is very important, when assessing applications, for us to have a clear idea of your project and your current thinking.
In addition to a supervisor or supervisors, accepted students will be assigned a personal tutor (who offers academic and pastoral support) from amongst the academic staff of the Department. Students may have a co-supervisor from within or outside the Department, where appropriate.
The Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at University of Warwick is a highly regarded research department, with expertise across a broad spectrum of specialisms. We ranked in the top 10 in the UK in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. See our major research groupings on our websiteLink opens in a new window.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:
Access to research material that is not available via university resources
Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Explore culture beyond the traditional English canon.
Why study with us?
Join an internationally recognised research community and connect with new perspectives on literature, culture and ideas. Our interdisciplinary, research-led study offers particular strengths in areas such as American Studies, eighteenth and nineteenth-century studies, ecocriticism and world-ecology, gender studies, the literary and cultural history of the medieval and early modern period, performance studies, poetry and poetics, and World Literature.
Our department maintains close connections with the vibrant culture of the West Midlands: from the award-winning Warwick Arts Centre and Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon, to the cultural scenes of Leamington Spa, Coventry and Birmingham. Ranked among the UK’s top departments for research environment in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, and among the top five English departments in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2026), this is where critical thinking, creativity and curiosity thrive.
You’ll be based in our striking Faculty of Arts Building - a sustainably built eight-storey hub designed for creativity and discovery. Located beside the refurbished Warwick Arts Centre in our cultural quarter, the Faculty offers excellent teaching rooms, social spaces and specialist facilities for independent study and collaboration.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Applications for courses starting in academic year 2026/27 are now open.
For research courses that start in September and October 2027, the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2027.
For courses starting at other times of year we recommend that you submit your application a minimum of 3 months prior to your intended start date.
This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK if required. We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received late or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Explore your future university further at an upcoming event, online or in-person. Can't join? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
